Last Night in Brooklyn

by Xóchitl González

New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a captivating story about a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor’s secret past

SPRING, 2007

At twenty-six, Alicia Canales Forten feels smothered by her future. She’s in a long-distance relationship, living at home with her mother’s beliefs, saving up for her wedding to a future doctor. But after Alicia ventures out one night in the neighborhood of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, she finds herself lured by the siren song of youth and possibility that the striving crowd of creatives holds, and moves in.

No one embodies this milieu more than La Garza, a larger-than-life, up-and-coming fashion designer whose epic house parties fuel neighborhood lore. La Garza’s life, observed by Alicia from her apartment across the street, seems to hold the allure and fearlessness Alicia has never dared to imagine for herself.

But when Alicia’s wealthy banker cousin moves to the neighborhood, she finds herself increasingly drawn into both his and La Garza’s precarious lives.

Against the backdrop of a potentially life-changing presidential election and a looming once-in-a-generation fiscal crisis, Last Night in Brooklyn explores the dark compromise of the American Dream for people of color living, unknowingly, in the twilight of a cultural moment. It is a story about everything money can buy—and the destruction of what it can’t.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, New York, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2026

About the author

Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning novel Olga Dies Dreaming, the Reese’s Book Club Pick Anita de Monte Laughs Last, and her latest novel Last Night in Brooklyn. She is a contributor to The Atlantic, where she was recognized as a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist in Commentary. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Before writing she worked as an entrepreneur, consultant, wedding planner, fundraiser, tarot reader and writer of etiquette columns. She currently lives between Brooklyn and Long Island with her dog Hectah Lavoe.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

if being nosy about my neighbors is wrong i don't wanna be right

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:

Putting aside my discomfort that a historical novel can be set in 2007, this is a fantastic meditation on a very particular moment in Brooklyn history. The neighborhood where the main character, Alicia, lives is Fort Greene. She finds joy and possibility in the all-night parties thrown by her neighbor La Garza. Neither Alicia nor her friends realize that the coolness of Fort Greene is going to upend the neighborhood. Before the construction of the Barclays Center, and right at the tipping point of Brooklyn becoming expensive, Alicia and her friends and family try to find their way in NYC. —Julia Rittenberg

[SH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here she goes again! Xochitl Gonzalez has a gift for writing about place and its evolution. I couldn't put this book down. From start to finish I was enchanted by the rich narration that made me feel like each of the characters was someone I knew in a past life. The point of view is reflective. Gonzalez captured that nostalgic feeling we all experience when looking back at a moment in time and seeing in hindsight how it irrevocably shaped our future. The discussions of class and gentrification were nuanced and complex in a way that mirrored things I've only felt and never been able to articulate. A masterpiece yet again.

[Scott Baird (Gunpowder Fiction and Plot)]

Dnf 25%, just not connecting with this one. I don't understand what I'm meant to want. Pretty disappointing for an author who has produced two excellent novels.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a three star read for me until I realized it was a 2007 Brooklyn version (more or less) of The Great Gatsby. I appreciate it a whole lot more since making that connection. I didn’t like it as much as her other books, but that bar was pretty high!

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes lives that are totally foreign tome. But the characters were interesting and the writing was really good. I may have to read “Olga Dies Dreaming”.

[Kristine]

I like Xóchitl González as a writer. Her prior books and I found compelling.

I always like reading books set in Brooklyn, NY as I have been there so many times. Looking forward to this new book coming out next year, April 7, 2026.

[Meghan Vanderstelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Flatiron Bookd for the ARC of Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez. This was a vivid and character-driven read. The author’s voice is sharp, modern, and emotionally rich, pulling you straight into the rhythm of Brooklyn life. The characters were easily the standout for me—complex, flawed, and full of depth in a way that made every interaction feel real. The flow felt a little choppy despite the fast clip of the book but overall well done in a way that is so fresh and modern. Gonzalez excels again.

[Kaitlyn Chiodo · Rating 4 out of 5]

my dear close personal friend xochitl gonzalez (I don’t know her i’ve just read all her books and love them) has done it again!! this was truly her love letter to Brooklyn 🥹. learned a lot as well and some really interesting themes as well!

[Diana]

I started and stopped this twice...just can't get into the characters or story...not even sure what the story really is 🫤

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: Last Night in Brooklyn by Xóchitl Gónzalez

Alicia is 26 and standing at the edge of a life that already feels decided…living at home…planning a wedding…following the safe path laid out for her. But one night in Fort Greene changes everything. Pulled into a magnetic circle of creatives…excess and ambition…she becomes fascinated by the life unfolding across the street…especially La Garza…a bold…intoxicating fashion designer who seems to embody everything Alicia has never dared to want. As money…desire and identity collide Alicia is forced to confront what the American Dream really costs and who it leaves behind.

This is Xóchitl González’s third novel and somehow she keeps raising the bar. I loved Olga Dies Dreaming…was blown away by Anita de Monte Laughs Last and Last Night in Brooklyn completely floored me. In under 256 pages…she weaves together class…culture…ambition and longing with such precision…all through unforgettable voices and a vividly drawn Brooklyn on the brink of change. I recommend giving this one a few extra pages to really sit with what’s quietly unfolding. Every one of her books has been a five-star read for me, and I’m already counting down to whatever she writes next.

Thank you Flatiron Books || Macmillan Audio for the ARC

Releases 4/21

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Kristine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of Last Night in Brooklyn, and I truly wanted to love this one. The premise intrigued me, and I went in hoping to be pulled into a compelling, emotional story. Unfortunately, despite really trying to get into it, I found myself feeling confused more often than captivated.
At times, the storyline felt somewhat disconnected, and I struggled to see how certain pieces fit together. Instead of building momentum, the plot often felt like it was wandering, which made it hard for me to stay fully invested. I also had difficulty connecting with the characters. While they were complex, they weren’t particularly likable or relatable to me, and that made it challenging to care deeply about what happened to them.
There were several moments when the pacing felt slow, and I caught myself feeling like the story was dragging on rather than moving forward. I also felt that the author relied heavily on telling instead of showing. Rather than experiencing the emotions and tension through action and dialogue, I often felt like I was being informed about them, which left me more disinterested than immersed.
While I can see that other readers may appreciate the tone and style, this one just didn’t fully work for me. Sadly, this ends up being a two-star read for me.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I needed to read at 26.

I am a longtime fan of Xochitl’s writing but this one hit it out of the park. It’s a relatively simpler novel, compared to Olga and Anita? But nevertheless, absolutely STELLAR💫

I can’t explain how well she captured the complicates emotional truth of friendship and admiration between young women. What it is like to feel free on an evening out on the dance floor (nothing like it). Both the driving energy and recklesss paralysis that comes with craving that release and attention. What it is like to live vicariously through the last precipice of hope before everything changes, something that stirred some intense nostalgia and a true shadow of what I am witnessing in my own hometown today. There is just so much to talk about. It is truly a phenomenon of a book that captures Brooklyn at its finest and its coolest - perhaps the best, last, classic New York Novel.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is set mainly over the course of one eventful summer in 2007 from the perspective of a woman named Alicia - she’s in her 20s during that summer but the book is told from her perspective sometime later looking back at that time. Among other things, Alicia begins to question her long distance relationship with her fiancé, meets neighborhood fixture and up and coming famous fashion designer La Garza, gets caught up in her cousin’s love life, and more.

Early on, I was really enjoying the story and writing, but kind of wondering what the book was about. Well, a little before the halfway point I suddenly realized that the book was an homage to The Great Gatsby (with La Garza as Gatsby), and then I realized how brilliant the book was and became totally obsessed with it. It’s certainly not a beat for beat retelling but plays with some of the same themes of class, love, and obsession. But this one also brings in so much more, including issues of gentrification and race. And Alicia has a lot more going on and is much more of a character in her own story than narrator Nick is in The Great Gatsby. And as a huge fan of Gonzalez’s book Anita De Monte Laughs Last, I also love that Raquel from that book makes an appearance in this one!

I mostly listened to this one on audio and narrator Elizabeth Rodriguez was so fantastic and truly brought the story to life. However, I also borrowed the ebook from the library and enjoyed having access to that - both to appreciate the quality of the writing but because when I figured out the Gatsby connection I had to skim re-read the entire part I had already read!

4.25 stars

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for my copy of the audiobook; all opinions are my own.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Great Gatsby retelling with a decidedly Brooklyn twist. Why, thank you. I was immediately intrigued and then Xóchitl González pulls it off with such an accurate sense of place that blew me away.

Brooklyn has always been a place for dreamers. Immigrants and first generation Americans made it their home with neighborhoods taking on the cultural identity of its residents. Regardless of whether you were in Puerto Rican Fort Greene, Italian Gravesend or Bensonhurst, or Jewish Borough Park; Manhattan was always aspirational, but Brooklyn remained home. González captures this nuance to perfection.

The novel centers on Alicia Canales Forten whose background straddles two cultures; one of privilege and the other from the streets. Alicia faces the push-pull of traditions and expectations versus a world of lavish parties and excess. The characters are richly drawn pulling the reader into the story as each pursues their version of the American Dream.

The audiobook is narrated by Elizabeth Rodriguez who absolutely brings her A game delivering a performance that oozes authenticity. (This Brooklyn native cannot abide a poorly executed Brooklyn accent.) I was completely immersed and transported to the Brooklyn I know and love. Hands down, a superb performance.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio gif the gifted advance copies. All opinions are my own.

[Grace Kibira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely inhaled this book and wish there were 900 more chapters. The writing is so vivid and somehow fully captures the feeling of Brooklyn nights and the magic of NYC in such a real way. I'm a Fort Greene transplant, and got the tail end of (my generations') true bk&ny summer experience before covid, so the novel's description of "unknowingly, in the twilight of a cultural moment." resonates for me in ways I dont even know how to articulate! The audiobook was spectacular. It was so special knowing the streets and corners and bars and VIBES highlighted. I went on walks around the neighborhood picturing it through Alicia's eyes.

I knew I was going to love this book, Anita De Monte Laughs Last is a book that has stuck with me, that I recommend and reference almost daily. And Last Night In Brooklyn is going to be the same. Xóchitl González you have a fan in me forever.

"Brooklyn used to be known as the city of churches, thats how many houses of worship there once were here. And for this congregation, the dance floor was for the believers and the DJ was giving a sermon" SEE WHAT I MEAN!!!!!!!!! THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LINE WHO CAN COME UP WITH THINGS LIKE THAT.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez.
Alicia is at a cross roads in her life and so is her city. With Brooklyn becoming the next IT spot to live those who are from there are being pushed out. I felt such a pull to this "historical" time, understanding how family, friends and success combine to seek out your own sense of place. When Alicia actually meets La Garza a glamorous designer, secrets are revealed. Brooklyn was like any small town, everyone knows one another, and nothing is truly put in the past.
This had me thinking of choices, consequences and the meaning of true happiness by the end.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, atmospheric Gatsby retelling in 2007 Brooklyn.

[Shirleynature · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Xochitl Gonzalez and Libro.fm for a wild drama-filled ride into the hopeful moments in 2007-2008 with the fascinating neighbors of Fort Green Brooklyn New York and for highlighting beautifully diverse Latine, including Puerto Rican, and more people of color and also highlighting the ugliness of gentrification!
https://www.xochitlgonzalez.com/about...

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

This novel was a love letter to a NYC that no longer exists due to gentrification. It also brings back the time around my graduation from college, post 9/11, but pre 2008 recession. 

The novel does a wonderful job of encapsulating the feelings of hope for the future that occurred around this time while telling a very personal story of the main character. It was so easy to feel lost in a proverbial sea being in your 20s in the mid 2000s and I think Gonzalez did a great job capturing that feeling. 

I was so invested in the story, I finished this book in a single day. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. 

[Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez is set in early 2000s Fort Greene, Brooklyn and follows Alicia Canales Forten, a young woman who becomes entangled in the glamorous yet precarious world of her neighbor, a fashion designer known as La Garza. Against the backdrop of a presidential election and a looming financial crisis, the novel explores gentrification, ambition, the American Dream, and the difficult compromises people of color sometimes face while trying to build a life.

I listened to the audiobook, and one of the highlights for me was the narrator. I appreciated that the production chose a Latina narrator whose voice felt authentic to the character and the setting. As someone familiar with New York culture, I loved hearing the cadence and rhythm of a true New Yorker in the narration. The way Spanish and English were naturally blended throughout the dialogue also felt very real—what many of us would recognize as this is apart of daily dialogue among each other.

Representation was easily my favorite part of this book. Brooklyn itself felt present in the story, and I loved seeing a Hispanic family at the center of the narrative. I also appreciated how the story reflected the close relationship between Black and Puerto Rican communities in New York—something that often isn’t fully understood outside of the city. Seeing those dynamics represented meant a lot to me.

Because of that, I want to especially thank the publisher for continuing to publish authors of Hispanic descent. Representation in publishing still has a long way to go, and it is meaningful to see Latin voices and stories given space.

Xochitl Gonzalez is clearly a talented writer. Her prose is thoughtful and observant, and the themes she explores—class, identity, and belonging—are compelling.

Where the novel didn’t fully work for me was in its overall direction. I sometimes struggled to understand what kind of story it ultimately wanted to be. Alicia is 26, so it doesn’t quite read as a traditional coming-of-age story, yet I also didn’t feel a strong narrative arc guiding her journey. At times I found myself wanting a clearer sense of purpose or progression for the character and the plot.

Overall, while the story didn’t completely come together for me, I still appreciated the cultural authenticity, the strong narration, and the opportunity to read a work by a Latina author. I’m always glad to see more Latin voices in publishing, and I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with an advanced listening copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[justice · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Freedom is fun, except when it's lonely."

I'm not going to lie— I did not fully read the last 20 pages of this book. Still, I didn't start skimming until I was over 90% in, so I'm going to give myself credit for all that I did soldier through.

Last Night in Brooklyn is like The Great Gatsby gone wrong.

It is very hard to write a book where your protagonist is actually the least interesting person in the narrative and still make the reader care. Even the book knows Alicia isn't interesting. (See page 212: "I was not the most fun one of our group, I was not the most successful. I didn't have the hot nightclub connections or the hookups with the doormen." )

F. Scott Fitzgerald makes it work with Gatsby because:
a) the other, more interesting part is actually interesting and
b) the protagonist had a complex/compelling relationship with the other two more interesting characters

Alicia, on the other hand, had a shallow relationship with both La Garza and Devon, and, to make matters worse, the story of La Garza and Devon is relatively simple.

Sidebar, but maybe Augusts would've felt more threatening if this were a movie and the whole book wasn't reminding us on every page that he was supposed to be a villain. He felt like a silly sidekick, not a murderer in the making.

I don't know. Maybe I'm being mean. I tried with this book. I just had to accept that I didn't like it when after 190 pages in, my cousin asked me what it was about and I couldn't give her a straight answer.

[Lexy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I’m officially 3/3 with Xochitl Gonzalez. Three novels, three hits.

Gonzalez’s newest, Last Night in Brooklyn, is about Alicia Forten, a 26-year-old ad copywriter trying to straddle youth and adulthood, social class, and her mother’s dreams and her own. When Alicia meets the effortlessly cool, almost mythical fashion designer, La Garza, who lives across the street, she’s pulled into a world that’s glamorous, intoxicating, and impossible to resist.

This story is a modern-day version of The Great Gatsby, with Alicia playing the role of Nick Carraway, observing the chaos of the newly rich, attending extravagant parties, both admiring and feeling repelled. It’s also an ode to Brooklyn in 2007, capturing a time of great optimism – right before the bottom fell out of the economy. Gonzalez is a master at capturing time and place, and I felt Brooklyn come alive.

I will admit that it took me a minute to wrap my mind around the genius of this book. I liked it while I was reading, but the longer I sat with it, the more I appreciated its depth. I love how Xochitl Gonzalez thinks; she is firmly an auto-read author for me.

I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

[haslerroberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew going into this book that it’s been marketed as a love letter to Brooklyn, but it took me longer than it should have to discover that this book’s also a modern-day Great Gatsby retelling! I really enjoyed this story- Gonzalez’s characters have so much depth and her writing always leaves me incapable of putting her books down. Though La Garza and Alicia started off as an unlikely pair, they both were able to show us the importance of women being able to find their own self-worth outside of the shadows of men, as well as the importance of friendships built on trust and care instead of gossip and parties. I also appreciated the similarities with the Great Gatsby, like the clash between old money and new money, which I think tied in well with the setting. I did find the timeline difficult to keep up with in a couple spots, but overall this book was really well done and I can’t wait for my next Xochitl Gonzalez read!

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t have any personal relationship to New York/Brooklyn nor the evolution of the cities in the 2000s and therefore I did not feel the nostalgia I think I was supposed to while reading this book.
I was entertained, but honestly my 3 stars are due to my lack of connection to the time and place. I did appreciate the fact that this was NOT a cheesy love story, as it so easily could’ve been. The choice of narrator and POV was very respectful, developing a subplot without overcrowding the main narrative.
Edit: people are saying this novel is a play on The Great Gatsby. That makes a lot of sense. I think that is the kind of connection that puts the story in a whole new light. Snap-claps👌🏼

[Michelle Ma Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ Story
4⭐️ Narration

I went into this book blindly only knowing Elizabeth Rodriguez was the narrator. As a native Californian, I think there was definitely a lot of inside joke/iykyk moments that went over my head about Brooklyn, New York culture. This book struggled to hold my attention at times which was compounded by the disconnect with New York references. This was my first book by Xóchitl González. Would I read again? I’d be willing to give it another shot once I have access to an ebook or print copy.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing this ALC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Night in Brooklyn is a female-centric retelling of The Great Gatsby with Afro-Latina Brooklynites post 9/11 and pre-Obama. Xochitl Gonzalez’s third novel is well-crafted with excellent prose and both subtle and obvious nods to Gatsby. Her character work is brilliant as well, making this a fabulous read for those looking to be entertained or those who appreciate literary tradition and convention. She is an auto-buy author for me now as I have loved every novel she’s written!

[Amy Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day!

This took me a minute to get into, but I’m glad I stuck with it.

I listened to the audiobook, and that definitely helped. Elizabeth Rodriguez was a strong narrator. She brought warmth to Alicia’s voice and made the story feel more immersive.

Set in 2007 Brooklyn, right at the start of major gentrification, the book captures that in-between moment when everything feels full of possibility but also a little unstable. I liked how it explored ambition, identity, and what the American Dream actually looks like depending on who you are.

Definitely more of a slow build. A thoughtful, character driven story.

Thanks to Net Galley and publishers for the eARC.

[Chispita Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one didnt do it for me. i love Xochitl’s books but i didnt like the gossip nature of this one; the who’s who rich people vibe is not my favorite thing, even if the MC is above or outside of it all. i also didnt really feel like there was action or a climax- the devon leaving her thing came out of nowhere to me and i didnt understand why gangsters were after her or what the deal was with august. i was just sad for la Garza. loved the name and the imagery though

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was v excited for this audiobook after the awesome Anita de Monte Laughs Last. This is a nostalgic look back at 9/11 era NY, specifically Brooklyn as gentrification was really taking off. (How do I know I'm not a New Yorker? My main association with this time is Miranda moving to Brooklyn on Sex and the City.) That's the overarching theme, but most of the book focuses on the narrator and her relationships, specifically with a Brooklyn fashion designer who gets involved with her family. I liked it - it's telling a perspective that I appreciate as someone from another high cost of living area - but I wouldn't say it's as impactful as Anita de Monte.
The narrator was pretty good and felt authentic in the role, but was lacking a little in fluidity. It sounded like someone reading a book, rather than narrating their own story conversationally. Great on tone, not so much on delivery.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!